Boston Sci-fi Festival Day 9

Boston Sci-fi Festival & Thon Wrap up - Well closing in on the end of the line and it has really been an exceptional festival. Everything bleeds together in the end and it has taken me more time to get this last post done just because of the needed recovery time. Still I had to push it out because I am getting a break from this harsh winter and heading to warmer climates soon. The festival was fun I got to meet and spend time with some wonderful people and look forward to doing it again next year.
This post will cover what I remember from  Saturday and the Marathon, although the Thon is an experience in itself so I won't say much about it. If you have not experienced it you really should start planning today to be there next year.

Saturday 3pm
Armistice (2013) -  A Royal Marine (Joseph Morgan) wakes imprisoned in a house he can't escape from and is forced to fight a hideous creature that appears each day even after being killed the day before. First thoughts after viewing this movie was 'Oh my goodness was that dragged out.' We see many cycles of the soldier dealing with the creature and then exploring the house looking for a way out. We he sleeps at night we see his dream of himself in a battle scene somewhere green, then he wakes and the routine of dressing and going into the dining room to find a meal waiting for him. It is the same meal everyday and in this is a clue. Then at the same time each day the creature appears and the solder taking varying amounts of damage kills it. Many of the cycles have the solder doing different things to try to escape but after a time each one fails. Then when he wakes the damage to the walls or windows or doors has been repaired and the day starts again the same as the one before. It is when he finds a way into the cellar behind a wall that there is a slight change in his routine. In that cellar he finds a journal. It is a journal of a soldier who was in the house before him. So at least we have the voice over dialog from that past man to break the monotony of the film. The current soldier eventually learns the secrets of the house and the story of the soldier who came before him. In doing so he eventually is treated to a 'Twilight Zone" type ending and after the credits roll we see yet another soldier awaking in the house to continue the pattern.
  Now although dragged out we have to consider if part of the reason for this is so we the audience feel the frustration being demonstrated by the soldier. He is in a horrible pattern of monotony that is really never broken even with the small changes in his routine. If the film make Luke Massey did not push the limits of repetition in the film we would have less of an appreciation for the feeling of the character. Imagine what this guy is going through everything reset every day. The same food and drink, the same inescapable house, the same fight for survival every day without end.  Now countering that is the question of do you as a filmmaker want to frustrate your audience? Where is that line and how much variation and introduction of new elements are necessary to hold the audience? This meditation on death and courage to face it may have crossed the line being a bit too repetitious with to few or too small changes for most audience members. There is an interesting turn towards the end that demonstrates that the film is actually about pushing through the fear of the unknown is a bit too late as most of the audience at that point may be a bit tuned out. It may be possible that with another editing pass this film may be tightened up enough to hold attention to the end. Unlike other movies with the repeating day set up this one has just the two characters so it is much harder to keep it intriguing. You can do a lot more when there are fifty characters and a world outside than you can with one guy, a monster and a house. Overall I hope I am getting what the film maker is trying to do but in its current state it was not a film a would want to see again.




The Search for Simon (2013) -This was one of my festival favorite features this year. A comedic science fiction film filled with sci-fi references for all the geeks out there. It also ends up being a touching tale of a man dealing with grief and loss and finally coming to terms with the reality of the past. Directed by and starring Martin Gooch it is the story of David a forty something man who has spent 37 years looking for his brother Simon, who as David relays was abducted by aliens when they were both children.  At this point in his life her is still living at home with his alcoholic emotionally closed off mother Irene (Carol Cleveland). He had some luck several years before winning the lottery making it possible for him to devote all his time for the search for his brother. Cleveland who was a Monty Python regular is wonderful as the Mother who refuses to revisit the tragic path of losing a son and instead shuts herself off taking refuge in her daily bottle.
  The movie takes its time building a world around David, he is in a dungeons and Dragons group, but they have lost their patience with him because he is always talking about Simon and aliens. His childhood friend Robert (Simon Birks) attempts to coach him through the interactions but in the end he just can't stop himself. They are very funny scenes of how the group has become hostile to him and try to hide the game from him. Also in David's world is the online contacts of UFO hunters primarily represented by AlienFromArturas (Mark W. Gray) who syphens off money from David with UFO sighting tips. David driven and needing internally to continue to seek aliens as a way to his brother wastes his fund going to Utah, the Netherlands or anywhere a tip leads. Each time there is no real aliens there but he returns home enthusiastic thinking he is getting closer. Through this strange lovable character we see and here all kinds of geeky references, his phone ringer is the sound of Doctor Who's tardis landing, Star Trek, Star Wars, Douglas Adams, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Back to the future references makes the viewing of this fine feature a fun experience.

  Quircky characters abound in this film but there is still room for a love interest.The lovely Millie Reeves plays Sally Strudle who is more interested in David than he her. Its not that he can't be interested but his character is so driven that he fails to notice her advances. Still they also have some very humorous scenes such as the burning tent scene.
The plot is driven in a couple ways, the first is David and his quest but the second is that he is noticed by Eloise Eldritch (Noeleen Comiskey) a psychologist and author looking for the subject of her next book. In her pursuit of a story she convinces David to come in and talk to her about his obsession. This has a wonderfully twisted turn to it. Here you have this selfish writer just looking for her next score really attempting to use this confused and somewhat sad man as her topic. She is completely looking to exploit him and in this atmosphere she ends up getting the real story about David and his brother. In the end she ends up helping him even though that was far from her original intent.
  This no spoiler review is here because this is a film that you should try to see. Some of the characters may be a bit over the top but all and all the character of David carries this story and it is one worth seeing. When all is said and done there is a curtain pulled back and what was a quirky comedy becomes a touching story about needing to forget the past and then finding the stregth to face it and move onto a brighter future.

Boston Scifi Film Festival Day 8

Boston Scifi Film Festival Day 8 - Well this is Valentines Day and I started out at the watching some of the 5pm shorts before heading out top dinner wife my wife. Unfortunately my plan with Garen to see these at another time ran into a technical problem so I tried to sit in for as many as possible. Another storm rolling in for Saturday is further going to make seeing everything in the festval tough. Only 4-8 inches of snow are expected out where I live in Hudson, but as you head to the coast and the Festival more snow is expected. This snowy element is a first and certainly a challenge to the organizers.

5pm Shorts for Lovers  controlled by overlords. So the love between

Permanence (2013) - Directed by Calvin Johnson is an intiguing future world where relationships are controlled by the overlords of society who are not past erasing memories to maintain control. When Rebecca (Hannah Bryan) and Stanley (David Alexander) find love in this world we see their story and struggle against control. Leaving a lot about the future society is left to the imagination. The film is a balanced love story that fits well in the festival.

Another Day (2013) - A very human story about the usefullness of alien and human interaction. The story of a young man Brendan (Brendan Osei-Antwi) who works hard each day to trade with an alien (Emma Connell) for one more day of life for his ailing Mother (Marie Tobias). Quiet and thoughtful it is a testament to love within a family.

Sorry About Tomorrow (2013) - Written & Directed by Motke Dapp from a story by Tim Arnold and Ryan Hartsock is a clever and thrilling short that has a great start and finish. Imagine  Baldwin (John Ferguson) meets a child and breaks up with her 15 years before they ever became a couple. Throw in time cops and trying to fix the problems that travelling ionto your past can cause and you have a really wonderful time travel short.

Slumptown (2013) - Written and Directed by Bryan Costanich it is a story about connecting, Dave (Vinny Chhibber) is the last human worker at a local coffee shop, who even with the end of his employment nearly finished can not bring himself to ask regular Ivettte (Leah McKendrick) out on a date. Tasked with training his robot Al (Patrick Edward Wynne) replacement not only on the serving of coffee but on the world of interaction with the customers.  A simple but cute short where Dave does his last job just a little too well.

A Better Life (2013) Directed by Conor Holt and written by Holt and Ben Grell. After a medical emergency Diane (Aimee Klein) finds herself caring for her comatose husband Bill (Bill Siderski). A new technology makes him more of a robot than a man as Diane controls him with a tablet. The film is then very interesting with Diane exercising her husband of learning to use the controls. Through flashback she realizes that she can now have her less than perfect man be more of what she wants in a relationship. The set up is a double sided sword that leads to a decision for Diane that is well turned in this very good short.

EMIT (2013) -  by J.S. Mayank An incredibly smart short about a world where time runs backwards. We join a family as an old man waits impatiently to meet his wife for the first time. He and his family also have a small child who is facing the end of her life and since we are in a hospital the prospect of unbirth is darkly considered a sad time. It was also cool to see Jack Coleman from the TV show Heroes. One of the best shorts of the festival in its well executed idea.

I did not get to see these last to but if the film makers want me to do a post update they can contact me at eddie   at  edhovey dot com with a way to see them I will do some coverage.
Match Perfect
My Date w/Adam

The Perfect 46 (2014) - What if you could find the perfect genetic partner that guaranteed that your children would be born perfectly healthy? What if an easy blood test could begin to erase the deseases effecting society? The Perfect 46 explores the idea and the acknowledges that eugenics no matter the positive effects is a serious subject for humans to struggle with. The style of the film focusing on the Perfect 46 founder geneticist Jesse Darden (Whit Hertford) a man driven by the idea that genetic match making can save lives. The film uses post event interviews in a documentary style to tell the story of the rise and fall of the website. Mixed in with this is the film in real time where two robbers break into Darden's house looking for something specific that we never actually see. All of it blends to tell a story and to leave the audience thinking about a difficult subject.
  Pacing is a problem for this film and could have used a sharper editing process. Also playing against the enjoyment is that the Darden character is written as really unlikable. A compliment to Actor Hertford

Senn (2013) - A factory worker on the forgotten planet of Pyon, spending his days assembling items he does not even know the purpose of. Part of a faceless workforce that is exploited for profit with little hope of advancement of a quality life. Senn (Zach Eulberg) begins to have visions that this is not the only life he can have. Contacted by an alien in the form of a light in his locker and his increasingly vivid day dreams have him worrying about his employment future. In love with fellow worker Kana (Lauren Taylor) the film takes the necessary time to build the characters so when things start to happen we are invested in them. The stark monotonous lives of the workers is interrupted by the arrival of a spaceship which has come for Senn. the contrast between the life on Pyon and that when Kana and Senn are o nt the shift is well done. The ship scenes filmed in a jungle environment changes the yellow orange colors of the planet to a deep green. Visually striking the ship part of the story concerns Senn being a unique being in the universe. He this alien race believes is the key to figuring out a structure this race has taken generations trying to figure out the Polychronom.

 Represented humorously by We (Wylie Herman) they need Senn to figure out how to activate the structure which looks like a planet sized moving globe puzzle. The film asks questions about fate and faith. What if your race spent all its resources trying to figure out and contact  something  and when it finally is activated you learn the thing did not even acknowledge your existence? So bring this back home you are a believer in a god and you find her/him and can't communicate. When you find a way to finally communicate you find that this god never even knew you existed?  The music by Cubosity is wonderfully done , the filming very nice with CGI that could have used a bit more time and money. The acting although adequate was not exceptional. Overall this was a decent film and the privelege of speaking with the film makers made this a even better way to finish the evening.

Boston Scifi Festiaval Day 7

Boston Scifi Festiaval Day 7 - This day was a wash for me the all programmed films were rescheduled because we had a pretty significant snow storm here in the Northeastern US.  So I can take one day to rest, sit by the wood stove and sip cocoa.


Valentines Day is Friday and I plan to meet my sweetheart for a delicious meal at the Best Lebanese restaurant in the New England Café Barada so I will be missing the 5pm showing, but Garen being the great guy he is will let me see that short program at another time. So I will do coverage on that set but not until later. I hope you are all bringing your significant other to Fridays 7 or 9pm shows.


Have a great one. Eddie

Boston Scifi Festival Day 6

Boston Scifi Festival Day 6 - After my short day yesterday and with an impending snowstorm for Thursday I decided to stay for all three programs on Wed. night. Working at home during the storm I could sleep in a bit after staying out so late. I am really glad I did, not only were the shorts high quality but both featured films were worth seeing. I know I have mentioned it already but if you are sitting at home and not visiting the festival because you are afraid that because so much is offered a lot must be shit you are making a mistake. I have been through the first six days and seen 90% of the material and I can count on one hand the number of things I didn't think were good. That does not even mean they were not quality, sometimes even though something is well made you just don't connect with it. So go over to Bostonsci-fi.com and look at what is left. Tickets to individual features and shorts programs are available so see you there.

5pm THE PARALLAX VISTA: Shorts Program
Mis-drop (2013) - by Ferand Peek, This is a cool little short showing a future war and a soldier going to war for the first time. Soldiers are dropped in some kind of metal suit capsule, when they land they release themselves and and off into battle. What was cool about this short were the levels it contained both visually and within the characters this one soldier interacts with. The setup is someone is reviewing the last days of a soldier to see if his surviving relatives will be given his bonus after his death. So the outer screen of the film is a futuristic computer screen. The primary shot, as the recordings of his first and last drop play is of a soldier's face as he is strapped into the capsule by a tech, all the interactions he has are seen as reflection on the glass surface of his head gear. We get a complete story of a young, who is jeered and tricked by his fellow soldiers with a rookie prank. His interaction with the commanding officer as she is also found to be a one night stand of his. Reflections of the drop from space and the battle ground, is all very clever and really well done.
The Sound of Trains - by Jordan Bradley and Travis Champagne from a story by James Crawford.  An alien abduction film starring Daniel Baldwin which was very professionally done if the story is standard fair. Mood is creepy and strange and it sounds pretty damn good. I suppose the part that makes it different than every other alien abduction film is that there is forewarning of the event by the aliens who do in fact return.
Base: 05 - directed by Roy Rossovich and written by Alexandra Backstrom is a short tale of an astronaut Kate Walker (May Charters) who also produced,  as she wanders on what looks like a distant planet. All the time having memory problems from the heat of the sun. A cute twist makes this somewhat enjoyable.
One Small Step for a Man by Marcus Round  Well seeing an eleven year old kid in an astronauts suit getting hired to a corporate job all I could think it was a metaphor for how we grow up and leave those dreams of traveling to the stars behind. Of course the main character "The Boy" (Sam Krause) is holding onto his dream while going about life. Very interesting little short.
The Sons of Two Suns (2013) - by S.A. Zaidi, The end of the world as seen by three people in Dubai. After we end up with two suns the world is about to burn. Mohammad Nash and Ana head off to a rumored shelter through the deserted streets of Dubai each with a unique approach to the end. Beautifully shot with cinematography by Ghanem Ghubash with a surreal feel it could be an alien planet. The film is unique as Dubai film almost exclusively focuses on drama and romance it is said to be pushing limits in a country where media can be heavily censored.
Ash (2013) - If you were in a space station when life on earth ended how long would you stay before going down? A crew of astronauts deal with this situation in Ally Cunningham's Ash. Having exhausted everything in the capsule James (Joshua Parad), Reese (Cynthia Henderson) and Davis (Dick Furnas) must decide between returning to earth, dying on the space station when the power fails or taking a third unexpected route. Torn between memories of home and the situation at hand each crew member must find a way to a decision. Good acting first movie credits for all but you wouldn't notice and nice effects.
Le Blue Stella (2013) -  by Peter Ferris Rosati: Tale of boy friendship told through the lense of a space fantasy that really captured childhood friendship.
Load (2013) - by Paul-Anthony Navarro A young woman (Anneke Harger) alone in a boarded up house at the end of the world. Violence outside and fear in her isolation play out in a very smart story with a creative science fiction turn. Really well done.

7pm
POINT B (2014) - Directed by Conor Long and Written by David Gitlin Point B is about four graduate students in a college physics department who while working on a clean energy device stumble upon a way to make a teleportation device. Mark (David Fetzer) is the designer and programmer, Jason (Josh McLerran) builds it, helping out is Andrew (Eric Fisher) and financing is Alan (Jared Shipley). The dialog is sharp and witty and the filming is stylish with an pseudo 80s musical score that works really well in this film. You get the style right away with the opening credits the lights music and fades to the actors as their credits role is really well done. Even the poster for the film has a nice throwback look.
  The story may have been out of the eighties too, not the teleportation part but what happens after it. In fact the makers of the film in the Q &A joke about this film needing to be a comedy because of its similarities to the film Primer (2004) shit has it already been ten years? The basic route of "We make a really amazing discovery." to " We have to perfect it" to "A big corporation wants to buy it." and  "Even though we need the money we can't let the evil corporate guys get it." Mix in the friendships that are strained by events and you do have a movie that was probably done before. Primer took the drama route, In 1996's Chain Reaction it becomes an action film, but here it is a comedy and I think for the most part it works. The script reminds me of the modern school of screen writing, character based, concise and well structured. A music montage of the working scientist students, a split screen travel montage. It's a bit tougher to do this in a comedy especially when you want to have gags play out but Point B never gets too long in the gag. Instead it uses dialog and sarcasm to move the comedy forward. Sharply stands out with his timing and snappy delivery.
  Because the film is a comedy it does not ask any big questions, but instead uses the characters to drive the story forward. The first question that could have been explored was after the first accidental use of the device. Should we use it again? Instead of debating the machine very quickly becomes a novelty without so much of a second thought for a couple of the characters. If taking the film as serious science fiction this could be quite a question to explore but the freedom of a comedy is you are looking for laughs not conversations about the scientific process.
The film is enjoyable with both sight gags and dialog driven comedy. The music fits the story well if a bit too on the nose during the flirting, dating scenes between Mark and Katie (Heather Murdock), really didn't need to music to tell me what was going on in those scenes. A very funny bit though when Mark appears teleported in front of Katie and she goes running off screaming never to be seen again So this film is a recommended one. Enjoy.

9pm
LOS ULTIMOS DIAS (2013)  - A very cool end of civilization premise in this all too serious drama about seeking those we love at a time of crisis. Like other films of this type, I am thinking Cloverfield except that is all about the monsters, people have to find their way across a large city to loved ones  with danger all around.. This film is more about our inner demons and what becomes important to us when the shit hits the fan. When an agoraphobia epidemic spreads across the world the people of Barcelona are stuck all across the city, in schools and office building and apartments people are forced to learn to survive without hope of rescue. Marc (Quim Gutierrez) wishes to get back to his girlfriend Julia (Marta Etura) who he hopes is still at their apartment across town. I order to do it he must convince  Enrique (Jose Coronado) the company's "butcher" (man in charge of reducing the work force) to work with him. Starting as reluctant allies they break into the subway tunnels from the basement of the building and journey together forming a bond through their adventures.
It has been months since the world has gone off its rocker and societal norms have broken down. The tunnels under the city are full of danger and the two must learn to trust and rely on each other to make it through. Each man is fighting the decisions they have made and wish to find love ones in this horrible time of crisis. Marc wants to see his girl again and Enrique his father who is hospitalized across the city. Through the subways and the sewers the two journey and fight through hardship with the aide of a car GPS and a flashlight and using all their wits and strength. By the time each realizes that his goal will be harder than he thought they have a bond that has come from days of hard fought battles together. When Marc finally reaches the Mall where his girlfriend works and meets her friend Andrea (Leticia Dolera) he finds he must continue on as she is not there. When he finally finds her but is separated by a collapsed tunnel, and an open street to cross the film becomes a bit predictable. I would call the ending a Hollywood ending that really does not add to the story and should have probably been left off. Still I think film makers David Pastor and Alex Pastor wanted to send the message that human kind will always survive. Its very interesting that these two also wrote Carriers (2009) a very similar film. Where a group travels to a childhood vacation home to avoid a plague that is ravaging society.
I really enjoyed this film the acting was excellent and the screenplay complete. A scenario that I had not thought of but the gritty dark nature of the survival aspects had me enthralled from the start. A good mix of interpersonal drama and desperate action the film is well rounded and engaging.  I wish Dolera the lead in the wonderful horror flick [Rec]3 had a bigger part since she is both beautiful and talented. The two leads Gutierrez and Coronado are excellent one playing the guilty boyfriend and the other a desperate man who does not want to die alone. So this film is has a hardy recommendation from me.

Boston Scifi Festival Day 5

Boston Scifi Festival Day 5 - A short day for me so coverage will only include the 5pm showing but  in that segment I got to see three things two shorts, "Distance" and "Unidentified Flying Reality" and a feature "After Exodus". A bit tired from all the viewing it was good to get home at a decent hour and get a good nights sleep.

Distance (2013) - A fine film running about twenty five minutes that I was quite effected by. About a man Javier (Valentino del Toro) who immigrated to the United States and is now living there in the year 2038. He does manual labor at a corporate building but longs to see his daughter Laura (Victoria Ortiz) in person after at least a decade apart. He works hard but has grown out of touch with her and she has strong feelings of abandonment. This touches my feeling about having grown up with an absent Father and I probably had many of the feelings his daughter expressed in the film when I finally starting having contact with him on the phone. At the same time my daughter like his is 21 and can put myself in his place. He is working hard to better himself to be able to finally reconnect with her. In this future through web cams he can search for her on the internet and watch some of her life making the distance seem even bigger. He has been saving for five years to go visit her, and in this world mobility is the currency, so he has literally has been saving miles so he can reach the Canary Islands where she lives. Also the future government has laws against buying and selling miles making it much harder for populations to move from one place to another and illegal to sell miles. He makes her a promise but is when an event happens that puts everything at risk he must make a heart wrenching decision. Written by Aimee Long and  Helen Shang and directed by Long it is a poignant reminder that sometimes we can't make up for past mistakes fully. Like I said I connected to this film on a couple levels so for me its a recommend.

Unidentified Flying Reality (2013) - An amusing twenty minutes about an actor who is on the television reality show "UFO Hunters". Struggling with the idea that the show is boxing in his career Ron (Alain Alvarez) does not want to be in character all the time but feels that is what the fans of the show are looking for. He does not believe in Aliens or flying saucers but because of his show is accosted by true believers when in public. When his dog goes missing from his high rise apartment building suspicion falls on his girlfriend Jenny (the lovely Elizabeth Lazo) but soon while on a shoot the mystery of the dogs disappearance is made clear. It is a cute short with all the trappings of a UFO hunter show including the always hilarious face cam camera mounted on a helmet. Not particularly deep it is a fun amusement that had me giggling at times. Thanks to Writer director Shane Kinsler for this one.

After Exodus (2014) - It is not often that I can watch a film without dialog all the way through but the engaging After Exodus had my attention from beginning to end. In a distant future we watch The Man (Caleb Usry) as he struggles to survive on an almost deserted island. Through flashback we learn not how he got there but who he once lived with and the sad road that leads to his current desperation. He struggles against the black jump suited bald guys who also inhabit (or visit it unclear) the island. They out number him and because of interesting visual marks on the hands of the characters we can see they are of greater intelligence that The Man. It is a very clever but easily understood gimmick that director Mathew F. Perry employs. Also in this story the use of music and noise and the Island itself all add a depth that is intriguing for viewers. Filmed on a small island off the South Carolina coast under less than ideal conditions for the cast and crew the film breaths isolation which is needed for this survival story. Besides this basic story there is a cool science fiction feature, uhm device that also lends to the futuristic style of the story. Left unexplained its use and then discarding is key to showing the growth of the man from reliant scavenger to a confident survivor. I would recommend you see this off beat little gem if you get the chance.

Boston Scifi Festival Day 4

Boston Scifi Festival Day 4 - Because of this being a work week I am afraid I could only cover the 5pm and 7pm films. I just can't get home after the 9pm feature and still get up for work in the morning. As we settle into the week the crowds of the weekend are gone and the audience reverts back to being the diehard science fiction fans (for the most part) even still the micro theater was filled on a Monday night. Technical glitches took a bit of time in the beginning but pretty soon we were off and running. I know I've mentioned issues with equipment a couple of times but you have to understand that the number of formats that film is being delivered in has expanded over the last ten years. We are seeing things on film, on DVD, Bluray, from hard drives, flash drives and streaming. It is difficult for one facility to provide all the connections and projection attachments for all the different formats and we are lucky the Somerville Theater is pretty complete in the hardware available. Sometimes though it takes a bit of time to get something playing correctly. The multiple formats can actually come to benefit the festival, like on the first day when the initial set of shorts could not be played from the laptop. A couple of the directors were there to present alternative ways to show their shorts saving that section from total reschedule. As the Festival grows I am sure there will have to be a "technical wrangler" whose job it is to make sure every showing has the technical accompaniments it needs to play the submissions. With the problems mostly solved within 15 minutes we were on to the nights entertainment.

5pm
Arbor Day (2013) - by Samuel Clemons Long, Is that his real name? Did he get named after Mark Twain? The film after most of the sound issues were solved was book-ended in one time while the middle part of the story was in the past. I have always liked this story structure, but the key to it is that when you return for the second cover of the book that story must have consequences that come from the middle tale. This story does just that and is a pretty cool little tale. The film starts with an old man and his son pulling up to a trailer in the middle of no where. The woman and her son sitting outside are nervous as the two man come up to beg for a bit of food in return for a story. When it is agreed Thomas (Ron Shedd) tells his tale about a family with a secret and how one year it went horribly wrong. I am not going to spoil the film because this is a short you should take time to see. I will say though that after the middle story that is a cool idea, that sets up the ending. The middle story has some very cool practical effects shots that are worthy to note. If there is a weakness in the film it probably is that the connection between the characters in the middle give us a mythology without really explaining how the family became connected to it and what the consequences of not accomplishing the deed that is passed down. The ending is quick and final and at the end I was pretty satisfied. The film was made for under 10 thousand dollars has some good ideas and the execution is competent. Check it out.

Science Team (2014) - by Drew Bolduc is an off beat comedic science fiction movie that relies on the absurd and vulgar to shock and amuse the audience. It reminds us that "nothing evil has ever come from science." and that there is always a place for practical gore effects. Science Team features a strong main character in Chip (Vito Trigo) a depressed and manic man with a serious anger management problem. After breaking up with his girlfriend he walks back to his Mother's house (in his bathrobe) only to find her dead and a sessile (fixed in one place) alien in the next room. This is a good setup and I think the actor carried quite a bit of presence. In fact the best scenes in the film are when he is involved. Taking away from the movie is the odd and slapstick comedy of the titular team that comes to investigate the alien creature. Built as an incompetent group connected to the government but not quite professional it is lead by a wheel chaired character  Dick Willington (Matt Chodoronek) who seems a strange mix of  Dr. Strangelove and Inspector Kemp from Young Frankenstein, the character is played hard for comedic effect. His team are a bunch of pink jumpsuit wearing science nerds carrying odd equipment with no apparent actual scientific training. It the absurdity that the film maker is going for and that is delivered. The "away team" lead by Joey Tweed (Richard Spencer) with assistant Elizabeth (Emily Marsh) bungle their way through supposed scientific inquiries that really do not yield any results. They are there to move a story forward that is based on sight gags and reaction shot to vulgarity. Hitting gags, Chip sneaking up and killing pink suits, a stabbing sequence that should have a stab counter are all thrown together in long shots that only add to the discomfort of the film. (that's the audiences discomfort). It is a bit of a juvenile effort at comedy which at least for me did not work. Maybe if I was stoned and 16 it would have been more appealing. That's the thing though not every movie in a festival is going to be for everyone. This one was not for me, I did appreciate the gory practical effects though I just wish the comedy was based on being more clever and less rude.

Bunker 6 - Written and Directed by Greg Jackson,  from the IMDB summary: "In an alternate timeline where the atomic bombs go off in 1962, young Grace enters a whole new sheltered existence. 10 years later, the nuclear bunker she calls home is crumbling around her." This fine feature is the struggle for the courage to move past fear and start living again. Grace (Andrea Lee Norwood) is saved as a child by a plant engineer Lewis (Daniel Lillford) when the bombs go off and lives the next ten years learning how to keep the bunker running. She is waiting for the day it is safe to leave the bunker when the light above the door goes from red to green. Fixed in her routine we see her with the small group of survivors as the one who will inherit the responsibility of keeping the bunker running when the sickly Lewis finally dies. With her in this space are Eric (Jim Fowler), Joe (Glen Mathews), Mary (Shelley Thompson), and Alice (Molly Dunsworth). Jackson pulls a very clever visual trick early in the film when he shows Grace passing a young blonde girl who could be Alice as she heads to the bunker. The bait and switch is great for creating the later reality of the film and I appreciated it. After ten years and with the death of Lewis the group starts to come apart at the seams.

 Eric starts talking about opening the door even though each time Grace looks the red light still indicates it is not safe to leave. Alice the strong willed one is determined to keep the group inside and will psychologically bully anyone who risks their safety. Grace who inherits the key to outside is torn between knowing that outside is a big and possibly dangerous place with her need to escape the bunker which increasingly is breaking down. Haunted also by seeing the deaths of her parents she must reconcile all her feeling in order to continue forward without her best friend. This film is smart and effective in what it is trying to do so I will not go into specifics other than to say that internal conflict spur the discussions and arguments about when it will be safe to leave the bunker. Tempers flair and power struggles must be resolved before a decision is made, alliances are made and broken but in the end it is up to Grace to make the decision. What will she choose?

  This was a very good entry into the festival, well acted with a twist that can not be revealed here. In fact it was one of my favorites features in the entire festival. The script is well executed by Jackson and I anticipate some success for this film in the future. Filmed in an actually government fallout bunker near Halifax N.S. the film has a wonderful claustrophobic feel. The music by David Chisholm carried the tension of the film and was really a complement to the script. I will fully recommend this film if you get the chance to see it.

 

Boston Sci-fi Festival Day 3

Boston Sci-fi Festival Day 3 - Third day and already I am feeling a bit tired so far there has been a whole lot of science fiction although I missed LFO:The Movie I have seen everything else which is a good 14 hours of viewing if you include the questions and answers. Then on top of that I went out drinking Friday night with Directors Ethan Shaftel and Dennis Nicholson after the Friday viewings so I lost some sleep there too. Now saying that so far everything has been totally worth it. The quality of the festival films has been excellent and the mood around the events very positive. So I came in for Day 3 and another six hours of material determined that I would make the 7 pm showing of Inverse (2012) instead of getting pushed to the 9 pm showing because frankly reviewing films is not my first job and I get in to work around six in the morning so another really late night would be a killer. I would have stayed too since the buzz around the showing of Inverse was loud. It was a premiere and a whole lot of people connected to the film were flying is to join us in the viewing. So I had to be on my toes to get in there early and get a seat.

3pm
SOS:Save our Skins (2013) - One of the great things about science fiction is that it is a fertile field for growing comedy. In the festival there have been too many examples to recount of very popular showings of off beat science fiction based comedies. The above mentioned LFO is one example of the comedy in this year's program and SOS is another. This British comedy is about two guys from across the pond who come to New York to attend a science fiction convention. When they wake up after a long flight and sleep they find they are the only people in the city, everyone has vanished. early on I was reminded of "Night of the Comet" but this film is not the same. Then with the look and interaction between the two main characters Ben (Nat Saunders) and Stephen (Chris Hayward) I was reminded of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost in Shaun of the Dead, or any other buddy film they did. This film was smart enough to later have a gag where they meet their Canadian doppelganger geek pair showing that it is either making fun of geeks or acknowledging that we have seen this before. I liked the references thrown into the film making it very festival friendly as the clods muddle about trying to figure out what is going on. When they find their first other human survivor, I made a note that I predict that everyone one was taken off the earth except the stupid and crazy people and was so right on that. It may have been a bit too telegraphed but hey the film is entertaining so no big deal. The film is funny and does not hold back with the comedy or the wildness of the plot. There is nothing too revolutionary here but it is designed to tickle and the film does that.  I really appreciated instead of making a nice mildly funny buddy movie they went for a giant end of the world alien intervention film that pushed limits.

5pm
 Feb 9 SHORTS PROGRAM #3
Slam Man
Starving
Ike Interviews God
North Bay
Ascendants
Game Companion
Bar Talk

Slam Man by Alfred Thomas Catalfo wrote and directed this amusing infomercial for a robot workout buddy who teaches you boxing while keeping you in shape. Pushing the idea at the end to additional functionality was a nice add on.
Starving by Michele De Caro is about a bank robbery in the midst of a viral zombie outbreak. Where the lead has the antidote he figures while the chaos is happening he will takes some easy money. Greed never really pays though.
Ike Interviews God by Eli Shapiro The most average man in the world gets to interview God and with this comedic situation is a meaningful satire on our human environmental crisis of climate change.
North Bay by Adam Grabarnick is the story of a scientist Sachin Fayez (Jamie Harris) who has a strange theory about adding ideas to the DNA of living things by pushing the ideas into the ether. We share his frustration and success this interesting short about perseverance.
Ascendants by Don Schechter an intriguing story exploring the effects on society if first the afterlife was confirmed to exist and then that only some people are going to get to it. When a simple blood test can tell your outcome how will that information affect you. This one certainly got me thinking and I wondered about the character wanting to give up on life when knowing the afterlife was to come. Would believers when they KNOW there is an afterlife, instead of having faith would cut ties with this life to get to that destination. Or would those destined for more stay in a more solid calm state of being because the doubt of their faith is now relieved? And on the other hand if you are a nonbeliever and you find out suddenly that there is an afterlife you are destined for what effect will that have on your psyche. Blows your worldview out of the water, and even if you are not going to the afterlife as a nonbeliever you now have new evidence that there is something else. Anyway very thought provoking subject.
Game Companion by Jeff James Monson and Brian Morelan a comedic short about reaching the Master level of a fighting video game, when a real companion comes out of the game the guys who get these living avatars are in for more than they can handle. Cute.
Bar Talk - by Lowell Northrop and Joe R. Lansdale,  A wonderful uncomfortable conversation between an invading Martian spy talking to and taking advantage of a gruff guy in a bar. The twist is worth weeding through the conversation.

7pm
Inverse (2014) - There was a great deal energy in the room for the premiere of Inverse. Actors, producers, director, family and friends came from all over the country to be there for this film. It was positive and friendly with people recognizing each other and reacquainting themselves with people they have not seen in a while. The one hundred fifty or so seats in the theater were filled and the introductions made with an excitement this festival can appreciate. Producers Stephanie Bell and Trever Boelter talked about their pleasure in premiering the film in the Boston area and all the connections that different people have to the area. They recognized the people who funded the film and the hard work of the cast and crew, and plugged the composer Austin Wintory for his fine score. Then the lights went down in the capacity theater and the film started.
  The tale written and directed by Matt Duggan unwinds as a love story between two people who should have never met. Tragic and and compelling the story is about two realities, one where mankind has developed the intelligence to cross into the world closer to our own. Where both world have versions of the same people there is a compelling desire for the people in the advanced world (the Primary) to view the selves in the less advanced world (the Echo). There are rules about not interacting in any way. Set up some cameras and observe but no interaction is allowed.
  The plot centers around Primary Arquin (Josh Wingate) who is accidentally observed by his echo Arquin to the echo's detriment. This "mistake" sets off a trail of poor decision making that risks Primary Arquin, where he falls in love with the wife of the deceased echo Veronica (Michelle Lawrence) and through those boundary flaws creates a situation that governments in both realities must attempt to contain. The struggle between the heart against the desire of the authorities to contain the situation is the main driver in this film. Well executed with very good acting and a story that is both compelling and exciting the film is certainly worth seeking out. Duggan creates a good (pair of) villains in Albert (Chris Pauley) agents on both realities who on the echo side wants the secrets that the primaries can provide. On the primary side the equally ruthless Albert hunts down primaries who have broken the rules.
An excellent entry into our festival in scope and subject matter the film left me with many questions about the "primary" world and how they became such voyeurs how they came to have that technology. That world would be a great area for further exploration. The way the character acted shows that although the primary world is more intelligent they have yet to master the emotion we both world share. Seek this one out if it gets a release.

 

Boston Sci-fi Festival Day 2

Boston Sci-fi Festival Day 2 - Saturday was the first of the long days of the festival, starting at 3pm and having features and shorts through the night. I did not get home until past midnight so we we see if that destroys what little quality I have in my writing. The festival is a success! In fact we were pulling out folding chairs in the Micro theater and still leaving people standing in the aisles. It may be that next year it will be difficult to use the micro theater for viewing  or having to schedule more than one showing for a program piece. Hats of to Garen Daly and his team for really getting people interested in this festival. That said this year is great also for the quality of the films, after two days mind you but so far the material has been of a very high quality.  Now I can't say I like everything I see at the festival sometimes things just don't connect to me where they are connecting to most of the audience. I think that is true for everyone though. The fact there is some real fine science fiction being made and that the submission committee has also done an excellent job at picking the best films is so far making this the best festival ever.
  Another great thing about this years festival is the number of film makers, actors and crew who have been present for their screenings and then done Q&A sessions afterwards. It adds another level to the festival experience that you just can't get otherwise. It would be great if the festival became a place where film makers who make science fiction could come together to network, hang out and see each others work. It was a really cool experience to be in the Q&A for Anomosity the last show Saturday night and have at least four other film makers there for the session.
Desolation Road - A couple bank robbers fleeing to Mexico with their loot get a flat after almost hitting a truck left in the middle of a deserted road. They get much more thanexpected as they investigate that truck. A really cool alien monster in the dark short. It was really well attended with people standing in the aisles to see it. Then when it ended a bunch of the people left meaning they came just for that one short but then did not stay for the rest. Weird?
1211 - was a really short scare film about a man looking for a little on the side at a hotel but ends up getting something totally unexpected.Good use of texting.
The Forever People - a deadly game of cat and mouse with transporting beings who grow back body parts if they are lost. Its a chase / fight sequence that fills in the sci-fi as it goes. Leaves you thinking about how they got to just doing this game.
The Argonaut - Now I was a bit bored this this contemplative piece of a woman in a room reliving memories. It seems that suicide does send a person to purgatory? Well at least that what it seemed like to me.
Step Forward - A little girl's impulse to leap before looking is punished when she finds time travel has some unexpected results.
Sleep - was an Escher painting come to life but played like a home invasion, do I have your attention now?
Strange Thing - A very cool short where a couple wakes one morning to find a door in the wall where there has never been one. The pull between curiosity and the need for caution are weighed and when curiosity wins well ask the cat how that turns out.
Strings - A musical shift in reality separates a Mother and Daughter so how can they be reunited? More singing of course. It started an interesting conversation about whether sighing in exasperation is appropriate as a response to a short.
Shift - A lone criminal builds a teleporting device so he can rob a bank. It reminds us that details are very important.

5pm Feature -
 Dust of War (2014) was a post apocalyptic alien invasion film with hints of westerns of old but ultimately did not deliver on the grand ideas it wanted to tackle. Starting mysterious and dark with characters who have roles in a larger scheme. Two bounty hunters Tom (Gary Graham) and Abel (Steven Luke) purposely get caught by a local warlord "General Chizum" (Bates Wilder) so they can have an opportunity to save a mysterious woman named Ellie (Jordan McFadden) who has a secret that will change everything. The film very is a bit of a slow go with the primary character development coming in the relationship between Tom and Abel. It is a bit of a thin go because the film wanted to hold information for the ending. Tom and Able planned to save Ellie because she was "the harbinger" the one who signals major change, but until the end you really don't know why. Even after that the reasoning could use some explaining it was like there was more story that could not be fit into this. Or maybe the film makers really wanted to leave some questions at the end. The primary plot of the film is a chase across a post apocalyptic landscape (modern day South Dakota :) ). The three main characters escape and are followed by the general and his men. Along the way they get help from former friends with the inevitable double cross. Part of what I did not connect to was a lot of this film is expected there was not a lot new in the structure. The villain does bad things to show his bad assness, the hero's past is explored although the almost mute part of Abel makes one wonder why anyone would follow him. Tom is the aging smart guy partner with quips and piss and vinegar who becomes endearing in his harsh attitude. Not that any of the acting is bad it was well acted with a couple nice smaller roles by Doug Jones as Jebediah and Tony Todd as Crispus. I was not thrilled with the really stereotyped Indian tracker role of Dark Horse (David Midthunder). We have had that role stuck into films way too many times. in the end there is not enough of a finish to leave this viewer satisfied but I think more people like the film in the audience than didn't. It was very kind of actor Bates Wilder to come to the screening with his kids and spend some time answering questions. Certainly the film fit into the science fiction genre but I think I wanted more of the sci-fi and less of the walking across the plains.

At the 7pm showing I shifted gears because my friends at All Things Horror were putting on a screening. I joined them for the shorts,
 Izzy Lee's provocative Legitimate (2013) a reasonable reaction to Sen. Tom Akin's comment about legitimate rape, who in his foolish thinking offended most of America. A mix of burlesque and horror it is a stern response to a stupid man.
 Eroticide (2013) was one I could not connect with, more mean drama than horror it was horrific in its outcome. Exploring a characters need to be dominated by a woman it is a sad tale of how humans devalue themselves in relationships and how that devaluing can lead to fetish. The male character wants to be punished and mistreated and is excited at the prospect. The domineering exgirlfriend is a mean spirited cruel power broker and the current girlfriend lacks the basic self esteem to even value her own life in the face of the other dynamic. This one was not for me.
I Am Monster (2013) - Oh my what a horrific tale of necrophelia by Shannon Lark and Lori Bowen. Stylish and sensually erotic it is a bizarre and disturbing journey into one woman's fantasy and kink. Great cinemaphotography, it looked beautiful while being so very disturbing. Lark fills the role with a gusto that probably could seduce the dead. Be prepared to have you sensibilities assaulted and left in a quivering pile in the corner.

9pm
Animosity (2013) - Because this film is a twisty type of plot I don't really want to go into too much detail about the workings of the story. Where I enjoyed the film I don't want to ruin it for any of you who should find and see it. The imdb storyline is "A newlywed couple moves into a house in the middle of woods only to discover that the surrounding forest is host to sinister supernatural powers which turn them against each other." Oh but it is so much more, certainly spacey, possibly science fiction but not really it is a journey into a phenomenon and how a group of people trying to learn about and exploit it. You could say it is supernatural horror maybe? Thea McCartan as Lauren really carries the film as the main character trying to figure out what is going on around her. The twist is pretty cool and the conversation it created with Writer / Director Brendan Steere was lively after the showing. It says something when the question and answers section that starts at 11pm goes for 35 minutes. A vague similarity to Solaris (1972) but not really either it is a pretty original take on a supernatural experience with the plot centering around how a group of people try to exploit it and there cruel experimentation. If you get a chance to see it I think you may like it.

Boston Science Fiction Fest: Day 1

  I don't know if I will find the time each day to put down my thoughts on the events and the incredible amount of material presented by the Boston Science Fiction Festival. There really a wide variety of features and shorts presented in this festival that could suit most tastes. With tickets to individual programs available at the Somerville Theater there is no reason why you should not finish reading this post and then get over to the Festival website and join the fun.
  Unfortunately the first day of shorts started out with some technical struggles, incompatibility of some of the equipment meant that the 5pm kickoff program was late and some of the shorts were not shown. Luckily for us in the audience two of the film makers were in attendance and worked out alternate ways to show their shorts, so we did get to see both Flesh Computer and iBrain. The others will be rescheduled for later in the festival.

Flesh Computer (2013) - Written and Directed by Ethan Shaftel explores the idea of consciousness in all things as depicted through beings in the short that are of varying degrees of electronic and flesh. Based somewhat in the ideas of philosopher David Chalmers who has a running dialog on screens in the short. He in his 1996 book "Facing up to the Problem of Consciousness" asks the question "why does the feeling which accompanies awareness of sensory information exist at all?" In the film he can be heard talking about the idea that consciousness could be present at the molecular level, so all living flesh from a few cells to an organ could hold some of the components needed for consciousness. The film by depicting the different degrees of technology and flesh presents us with points of view to different consciousnesses. The Child with an electronic eye, the flesh computer, the fly on the screen, a couple thugs from the building, the part mechanical computer care taker all have points of view in this film. Now I might be mangling the idea but I think I got the idea in general and the film delivers from and idea and story telling perspective. Some of the CGI could have been more fully rendered but often times these films are made on a shoestring so bare with it. The Cronenbergesque look of the flesh computer was wonderful and the director in attendance made for a more fulfilling event with a Q&A after the film. This was a thought provoking interesting short another example of the ever improving quality of the festival's fare.

iBrain (2013) - Written and directed by Dennis Nicholson is a very amusing comedy / scifi short about a near future where the latest greatest gadget for our tech savvy world is the iBrain. Electrodes inserted in the brain allow the user to communicate through text just by thinking it. More than that it explores the idea of a completely networked society with information at the thought and intercommunication that never have to shut down. Playing with the Apple idea it really is amusing with a auto mode that allows the body to perform mundane tasks without having to think about it. I assume the consciousness of the user is off doing other things on the web, watching a movie, hanging out chatting with friends etc. Using a story structure that parallels two different approaches to the new technology the leads Kara (Monica Nowak) and her boyfriend Dylan (Steve Boyer) each are in their own worlds. She in her books and he in his new iBrain but both are to an extent separating themselves from the intimate interactions of being human. Its an great idea and presented for laughs. My wife and I have had similar conversations about the value of the things we use to occupy our time. She being a professional storyteller is a lover of reading, while I am a major movie buff. So I was identifying with the story in film. The conflict between Kara and Dylan each valuing there form of entertainment is similar to the conversations my wife and I have. Again another nice entry into the festival smart and humorous. Also again the director was kind enough to participate in a Q&A something we fans of film really value.

The feature of the night was a local entry called
Nigerian Frequency (2013) - Another comedy and sticking to the theme of  human and technology interacting with humans. This film was about a computer program called Friendle, and online learning program that adapts to your friendship needs. Written by Mathew Scott the film develops the idea of the Friendle and how through its learnin algorhythms first grow popular and then are marred by viruses. It also though really looks at what is a friend. When we start replacing the people in our lives with online companionship where does that leave us?  When I think about the film I like the basic comedic idea, the quirks of how the program is designed come through in funny ways, like having to choose your mode to say get an honest opinion. When the learning program figures out that dogs are creatures that often replace it it instructs it users to smother there dogs. In a world where the average person has 170 facebook friends and most of the interactions with those friends are just liking things they post, ideas about human machine interaction certainly hold a place in society. Nigerian Frequency gives it a go to explore one possible interaction. Made locally in Chelmsford MA there was a large audience of supports for this film which made the premiere special for the film makers. Many of the mostly ametuer actors were also present. A short Q&A and then out for drinks at the Five Horses pub in Davis Sq. made for an enjoyable day of Science fiction.

Missing from the first day, and I will have to see if I can get to see these were the following shorts.
Cell Phone of the Future, Kevin's Book, Contacts, Reboot, A Better World, Transits, and Amy Kid Zombie Speech Pathologist.

An Erotic Werewolf in London (2006) Horror Erotica

An Erotic Werewolf in London (2006) - Honestly there is a story in this film, but it is also exactly what the title encompasses. Seduction cinema specializes in simulate sex with very attractive actresses mostly girl on girl. When I say simulated I mean it the women are not actually touching and licking like hard core film stars may do. They are more in the area and with the right moans give the impression that there is hot and heavy lesbian sex going on. So know what you are getting into, the film is then surrounded with a horror story and packages for consumption by the masses. Masses that is funny more like the small number of men and women who are into this kind of thing. Seduction Cinema do do some of the more creative titles playing on popular movies as a setting for their own entries. Opening at a bar two women pleasure each other on the bar, the initiating woman (Misty Mundae) has flashbacks to a short haired blond with fangs. Ruby (Ruby Larocca) the receive does not know that though and enjoys the afternoon tryst. This is what I call a "hot start", no dialog lots of nudity, for soft porn it keeps the often fickle viewer involved so they make it to the plot. This film delivers on what it is intended to do with attractive women and sex scenes most people will not turn off or fast forward through, if they like girl on girl action that is.. The horror story for what it is is of course derivative but still manages to be a sad tale that is fully realized. Although not the normal fare of this blog this film is certainly a sight to behold.
  There is a plot to this movie although mostly it is women making each other feel good. The plot starts when Misty is working in a bar and the exotic large breasted Anoushka (Anoushka) comes in Misty seduces her. Its different for a Misty Mundae character to be the aggressive one. She normally plays the innocent who is introduced to the world of lesbian sex. When lovely Anoushka reaches a climax it trigger the beast inside her and she is transformed into werewolf woman. There was a real balancing act here, trying to get a transformation that gives the impression of a werewolf without making the actress so unattractive that it would turn off the viewer. Unfortunately the makeup is really not the best with blotches of arm hair and fangs on the bottom of her jaw. Misty terrified is bitten by the beast who then walks off hilariously still undressed.
The rest of the story is in two parts, as Misty goes through her own slow transformation into a werewolf.  Starting with a ridiculous hospital scene with Nurse Nancy (Darian Caine) who can't resist the helpless Misty. This story is told by the second structure which is Anoushka back in London doing an "Interview with a Vampire" type scene where she is telling the story of her life to a reporter (Zoe Moonshine).  After seeing too much of the beast the reporter warns Ruby that Misty may be changing int a werewolf, Ruby finds that Misty is indeed very sexually charged and tricks her into a bonded situation so she can see if the transformation will happen without actually being killed by her girlfriend. Unfortunately for her she underestimated the strength of the beast that Misty becomes and in the climax is forced to defend herself. A sad ending to their relationship.
Most of the film of this type though is about the simulated sex.
The many scenes of the film:
- Misty taken advantage of by Darian Caine to help her relax.
- Bathtub scene between Anoushka and Ruby which is a dream sequence.
- Scene where Anoushka's neighbor (Linda Murray) is touching herself in the shower while Anoushka sees her through the window. The Anoushka touches herself. It is there to show how Anoushka hunts, later she ends up with that neighbor, a sexual predator.
 - Nurse Carla (Julien Wells), who happens to be Nurse Nancy's girlfriend continuing to sooth Misty when her shift starts.
 - Aroushka's neighbor touches her self and then is joined by Anoushka so the werewolf can show the reporter her transformation.
 - Ruby and Aroushka in yet another dream.
 - Ruby bondage scene with Misty including werewolf transformation.

Written and directed by William Hellfire this film knows exactly what it is. He is included in the commentary track with Michael Raso who produced and did music. Raso who runs the Alternative Cinema company and does the excellent Film Photography Project and podcast. A Seduction Cinema production which has a large collection of films like this with horror themes and soft porn. You can find most of them at the Alternative Cinema website. Seduction Cinema may have ended the last credit I see for them is in 2009
Misty Mundae who is still working but less in the adult film industry with I think her actual name Erin Brown has known Hellfire since they were kids. Larocca who is also making non adult films is focused currently on the horror genre so maybe she will appear again in this blog. So am I recommending this film, well not as a horror film, the character development met the requirements of a skin flick and not a horror flick but I have to say the two are not that far apart from each other. If though you are looking for something for that arouses your horror and sexual desires this might work for you.

New Podcasts

I put out a call for suggestions for a new set of podcast to try this year and people sure did come through. So here is a list of the one's I will try, I don't really know know much about them except most are horror themes so we shall see. Again if they do not make it to next year that is not a reflection on their quality. Sometimes the content, sometimes the personalities and sometimes just how someone sounds can make me drop the cast. Sometimes I just decide to whittle down what I am listening to and they are on the bottom half of what I like that year. So if you are a participant on a podcast I stop listening no offense intended. NOT THAT ANYONE GIVES A SHIT ABOUT WHAT I DECIDE TO LISTEN TO.

B3 - The Boston Bastard Brigade

The Bloodcast

Boys and Ghouls

The Doctor Who Podcast

Faculty of Horror

Horrorshow Hot Dog

Ice-T: Final Level

The Jagaloons Podcast 
 
Killer POV

Knifepoint Horror

Moment of Clarity

The No Sleep Podcast

The 80s Picture House podcast

Pseudopod